quentinRiver Plate Fans Riot After Team Is Relegated
June 27th 2011 15:14
River Plate, an Argentine sports club in the Belgrano neighborhood of Buenos Aires, was relegated to second division for the first time in its 110 year existence yesterday. This caused fans to riot inside and outside of the Monumental Stadium. The relegation came after a 1-1 draw with Belgrano in the second leg after River Plate lost to them in the first leg, 2-0. As soon as the match was over, the riot broke immediately. Angry fans hit players with objects from the stands. The police retaliated by spraying high powered fire hoses to the fans. As the fans were getting blasted by the police with the fire hoes, the River Plate players huddled on the pitch. Many people were in tears, including goalkeeper, Juan Pablo Carrizo. The violence spread outside of the stadium, and police said that only 89 people were injured while 55 were detained. Nilda Garre, the minister for security, said 35 police officers were injured.
Police men used water cannons to disperse fans quickly and fans were attacked with batons and shields at every exit when they tried to leave the stadium. The incident threatened the upcoming Copa America and the future of the team's president, Daniel Passarella. The stadium is set to hold the Copa America final July 24. Now, a prosecutor has ordered the stadium to be closed until the turnstiles can be inspected. The area outside the stadium was a mess. It looked like a war zone with the police battling the River Plate hooligans called “Los Borrachos del Tablon” - The Drunks in the Stands. These hooligans ripped through a fence and raced across the field taunting and pushing River Plate players last Wednesday. After 45 minutes of the match ended, around half a dozen ambulances entered the stadium with live television coverage showing medic working on the injured people while street fights erupted just a few feet away.
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